Distributer for coal.



Paumdoct. s, |901.- a. Homes. DISTBIBUTER FDR CUAL.

(Application led lay 31, 1901.)

(lo Rodel.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

n4: rioni): mns so. mkg-uma. sumaron u, c,

N0. 684,250. Patented 0012. 8, 190|. G. HOLMES.

DISTRIBUTEBFDR GOAL.

(Application filed May 31, 1901.)

2 sheets-sheet z.

,ma Model.)

)4A/My.) ifa/meg, M Y 1l/.A2M

A 7m, @M ey,

ma umu frias m. rnofunlmo.. msumaro, o. c.

llNiTnD STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

GEANT HOLMES, OF DANVILLE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ROBERT HOLMES th BROS., OF SAME PLACE.

DlSTRIBUTER FOR COAL.

SEEGIFICATION i'ormng part of Letters Patent No.. 684,250, dated October 8, 1901.

Application filed May 31, 1901. Serial No. 62,658. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GRANT HOLMES, of the city of Danville, county of Vermilion, and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Distributer for Coal, of which the following is a specification.

This invention provides means for delivering coal of various grades to two cars at once or to either of the two cars and for discharging the coal into either bos-cars or flat-cars. It is exemplied in the structure hereinafter described, and it is defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specication,Figtire 1 is a side view of a coal screening, grading, and car-loading system, showing my distributor in vertical section therein. Eig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section from side to side through a structure embodying my invention.

The distributer consists of a body 8, which is separated into two vertical passage-ways by a central partition 7, and a head or hopper, as 1,which has two oblique stationary partitions and a swinging partition that is adapted to line up with either of the oblique partitions of the hopper or with the central partition 7. One oblique partition consists of part 3, the part 4, and the swinging part 2 when such part is in line with parts 3 and 4. The other oblique partition is composed of parts 5 and 6 and of the swinging part 2, and the vertical partition 7 may be continued upward through the hopper by setting the swinging partition 2 in a vertical position. There is a supplychute at each upper corner of the hopper, as shown at 16 and 17, and there is a dischargechute at each lower corner of the hopper, as shown at 9 and 10. The supply-chutes are adapted to deposit coal one on the upper end of oblique partition 3 2 4 and the other on the upper end of oblique partition 5 2 6. Chute 9 receives coal from the lower end of partition 3 2 4 and chute 10 receives from the lower end of partition 5 2 6. Nhen the swinging partition 2 is in a vertical position, coal from chute 17 passes through the hopper and into the passage-way of the body S to the left of partition 7, while coal from chute 16 falls to the right of partition 7. Chutes 12 and 13 are placed one on the right side of the lower end of body 8 and the other on the left side of the lower end of the body. A valve or swinging partition 11 is pivoted at its/lower end below partitioifd'Yfand its upper end is adapted to rest in line with the partition or to swing to either side of the body. When the swinging partition is vertical, coal passing through body S on both sides of partition 7 will go part into chute 12 and part into chute 13; but when the swinging portion rests against one of the sides of the body all the coal on both sides of partition 7 will go to one of the dischargechutes 12 or 13. The chutes 9 and 10 are adapted to discharge into flat-cars,whi le chutes 12 and 13 are'adapted to discharge into box-cars. All the discharge-chutes are hinged so as to be swung out of the way and chutes 12 and 13 have supporting-rods 14 and 15 hinged to their ends. The supporting-rods are adapted to rest on the floors of the box-cars while chutes 12 and 13 are in use, and when the chutes 9 and 10 are in use the chutes 12 and 13 and the supportingrods therefor hang down out of the way, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 2. To increase the adaptability of the distributer, parts of the oblique partitions may be made swingable, as shown at 5 and 4a, and supplementary supply-chutes may be introduced, as shown at 1S. Coal-cars are represented crudely by broken lines at 19 and-20.

When flat-cars are to be loaded, either of the oblique partitions may be made continuous by proper adjustment of swinging plate 2, and the supply from chutes 16 and 17 will then be discharged through chute 9 or chute 10.V It box-cars are to be loaded, the swinging plate 2 is set vertical and valve 11 may be set vertical or swung to either side of the body. It the valve 11 is set vertical, the coal from chute 17 will go to chute 13, while the coal from chute 16 will go to chute 12; but if the valve is set obliquely, as shown in the drawings, all the coal from both the supplychutes will go to one discharge-chute and be delivered into one car.

The invention is particularly desirable in connection with a screening and grading system, as it enables the dierent grades to be directed to separate cars 5 but its utility is not necessarily coniined to this environment.

I claiml Y 1. In a coaldistributer,jthe combination of a hopper, oblique intersecting partitions in IOO the hopper, and a swingabie plate at the intersection of the partitions to make either of the oblique partitions continuous.

2. In a coai-distributer, the combination of av hopper, oblique intersecting partitions in the hopper one of which constitutes a chute from left to right through the hopper While the other constitutes a chute from right to left through the hopper, and a swingabie plate at the intersection of the partitions adapted to make either partition continuous.

3. In a coal-distributer, the combination of a body divided into two passage-Ways by a Vertical partition, a hopper on the body, ob-

iique partitions in the hopper intersecting each other at a point above the vertical partition of the body and a swingable plate at the intersection of the partitions adapted to make either ofthe oblique partitions continu- Y ous or to forma continuation of the vertical partition. A Y In testimony whereof I sign my naine in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GRANT HOLMES.

W'itnesses:

FRANK LINDLEY, FRED B. PENWELL. 

